Two Case Studies: MPB Legacy and Forest Carbon September 16, 2014 1

Two Case Studies: MPB Legacy and Forest Carbon

September 16, 2014 1

Today’s Agenda

• Followup from Thursday

• Simulation Overview• Mountain Pine Beetle

legacy• Forest Carbon

mitigation


Mean annual precipitation

Clarifying Facts and ValuesFacts Values

What is What ought to be

Empirical, Positive Normative

Descriptive Prescriptive

Examples:Trends in forest jobs, 2010-2014Employment levels in communitiesNumber of red listed speciesObserved harvest patterns

Examples:Sustainable forest jobsSustainable communitiesSpecies ProtectionEmulate natural disturbance


Question 1 and 3: Best Course + Professor Attributes

• Class was inspiring while being informative -Thought provoking material/gripping material/material that covered current events

• Well-organized: Well structured and well planned lectures and course structure

• Discussion of lecture and reading material

• Interactive and practical

• Group activities/participation based

• Videos for interactive learning

• Focus placed on learning not grades

• Realistic expectations

• Open communication between professor and students

• Passionate, energetic, well-informed, informal, engaging, understandable, engaging, inspiring, funny, organized (these adjectives were used in almost all the responses for this question)

• Wants students to succeed

• Respectful: Does not speak down to students

• Provided opportunities for students to discuss topics brought up in class; involves students in class

• explain course concept in multiple ways/used analogies and examples as a way to teach concepts

• Stayed on topic

• Used visual stimulation throughout lectures

• Professor made an effort to learn names

• Provided opportunities for critical thinking


Question 2: Best Student Attributes

• Students were: – passionate– respectful of peers and

professor– Attentive– enthusiastic about

learning

• Students felt comfortable in their environment

• All students participated, not just one

• Students had a Facebook page to go to if they needed help from their peers

• Students attended lectures

• Students engaged in critical thinking projects or discussions


Today’s Agenda




mitigation



Simulation

Conversion to Area-Based tenureThe Minister of Forests, Land, and Natural Resource Operations has proposed, as a way to improve forest management and increase the midterm timber supply in regions affected by the mountain pine beetle epidemic, to convert a number of volume-based licences to area-based ones. The Minister has directed a multistakeholder body to forge a consensus on a new tenure system by the end of the calendar year.

Forest Carbon MitigationCommitted to being a leader in climate action, and recognizing the contribution of forests to carbon emissions, the Premier has directed the Minister of FLNRO to conduct a multistakeholder consultation on the proposal to add carbon as a value to the Forest Range and Practices Act.


8

Simulation - Objectives• develop practical skills --

teamwork, research, and communication -- necessary for constructive participation in policy development

• develop a deep understanding of one crucial component of forest policy.

• Have a lot of fun learning

9

Simulation – Organization

Forest Carbon• ForestEthics• Sierra Club of BC• Offsetters• COFI• Canfor• Western Silviculture Contractors

Association• Forest Fibre Alliance of BC• United Steelworkers• Coastal First Nations• First Nations Forestry Council

Conversion to area-based tenure• Wilderness Tourism Association

of BC• ForestEthics• Cariboo-Chilcotin Conservation

Society• Council of Forest Industries• Canfor• Interior Logging Association• United Steelworkers• Carrier Sekani Tribal Council• First Nations Forestry Council

10

Simulation –Process• meet in groups• required readings• consult "real world" versions of

their groups• select a delegate (and an

alternate) to speak and negotiate for them during the consultation.

• evening, mock multistakeholder consultation attendance required for all participants :– Area-based tenure Monday

November 17– Forest carbon Tuesday, November

18

11

Simulation - Assessment• 10% for the group brief not to exceed

2000 words. This is a group project, which clearly and concisely presents the group’s initial position on how to revise the rules. It should contain references. The briefs are due November 13.

• 10% for each student’s participation in the group. This grade will be based on the recommendations for grades that students provide for each other

• 10% for the performance of each group in the consultation.

Simulation - Resources

• There will be 5 “flipped classroom” tutorials in class to guide you through process of developing an policy advocacy brief


This is problem based learningfrom wikipedia

• PBL is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of problem solving. Students learn both thinking strategies and domain knowledge.

• The goals of PBL are to help the students develop flexible knowledge, effective problem solving skills, self-directed learning, effective collaboration skills and intrinsic motivation

• Working in groups, students identify what they already know, what they need to know, and how and where to access new information that may lead to resolution of the problem.

• The role of the instructor is to facilitate learning by supporting, guiding, and monitoring the learning process.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem-based_learning

Today’s Agenda




mitigation



Case Study 1: Environmental Change:The Legacy Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic

September 15, 200915

MPB epidemic: 2 causes

• fire suppression increase volume of vulnerable host organisms

• area covered by mature pine increased by a factor of 3 from 1910-2000

• climate change – decline in cold weather– In mid-winter, temperatures must

consistently be below -35-40 C for several straight days to have any effect

– In the early fall or late spring, sustained temperatures of -25 C can kill


MPB epidemic – current and projected impact

• 53% of the total provincial mature merchantable pine volume killed by 2012

• 58% of pine will be killed by 2021




Policy Response

• AAC Uplifts (about 14 million m3 – 28% across interior)

• Support for Beetle Action Coalitions

• Silviculture Investments

• Surveys, Reforestation, fertilization

• Modest changes to stewardship, conservation rules



MPB Timber Supply Impact Summary (2012)

• 2012 provincial AAC: 78.3 million m3 *

– Coast 17.1 million m3

– Interior AAC: 61.5 million m3

• 50.6 million m3 pre-uplift

• 2030 provincial AAC: 57.5 million m3

– 40.4 million m3 interior• “fall-down” below pre-uplift: 10.1 million m3

– 20% in interior (higher in some areas)– 14% provincially

Area-based tenure – recent origins

• Explosion at mill in Burns Lake, BC – Babine Forest Products owned by Hampton Affiliates

• Justifying rebuilding of mill thought to require greater assurance of access to timber

• Memo leaked with a number of controversial proposals

• Response: Special Committee on Timber Supply


(belated) political response

• Special Committee on Timber Supply tasked with consultations– August 2012 report recommends increasing area

based tenure• Government Beyond the Beetle response

promises legislation to do so in Spring 2013 sitting


http://www.leg.bc.ca/cmt/39thparl/session-4/timber/reports/PDF/Rpt-TIMBER-39-4-GrowingFibreGrowingValue-2012-08-15.pdf

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/mountain_pine_beetle/mid-term-timber-supply-project/MTTS-Action-Plan-201210.pdf

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/mountain_pine_beetle/mid-term-timber-supply-project/MTTS-Action-Plan-201210.pdf

Status of Proposal

• Clark government introduces Bill 8 that would amend Forest Act to allow the minister to accept application to convert FLs to TFLs, but dropped after opposition emerged

• Set up consultation, Summer 2014• Report released August 2014• Government: “Given the recent Supreme Court of Canada

Tsilhqot'in decision and requests from forest companies and communities to focus on key immediate priorities, the ministry will not be proceeding with legislative changes that would enable forest licence conversions in fall 2014 or spring 2015.”


http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th5th/1st_read/gov08-1.htm

http://engage.gov.bc.ca/foresttenures/

http://engage.gov.bc.ca/foresttenures/files/2014/08/Area-Based-Forest-Tenure-Engagement-Report-June-2014.pdf

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/08/area-based-tenures-report-released.html

Your task

• Is an increase in area-based tenures a good idea for BC forestry?


Case Study 2: Policies to Manage Forest Carbon

BC climate policy

• Climate Action Plan June 2008• Provincial reduction target:

– 33% below 2007 levels by 2020– 80% below 2007 levels by 2050

• Public sector carbon neutrality by 2010– Emission offset regulation

• Must use Pacific Carbon Trust (now MoE)


http://www.livesmartbc.ca/government/plan.html

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/codes/ggrta/

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/codes/ggrta/offsets_reg.htm

http://www.pacificcarbontrust.ca/

http://www.pacificcarbontrust.ca/

29

Carbon in forests Tony Lempriere (CFS)

There is a LOT of carbon in forests:

– 50% of the weight of wood is carbon

– 1 m3 of wood = about 0.25 tonnes of carbon= almost 1 tonne of CO2

= about the same amount of carbon as in 350 litres of gasoline

30

Forest carbon cycle Tony Lempriere (CFS)

• Carbon is stored in many pools, and emitted from and added to each pool over time

• Harvesting, decomposition, and fire emit greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (i.e. they result in sources)

• Forest growth removes or sequesters carbon from the atmosphere (i.e. they result in sinks)

Forest contribution to mitigation• Afforestation

– Plant new forests on marginal agricultural land

• Avoiding deforestation (permanent loss of forest)

• Changing forest management• harvesting practices• Rate of cut• Regeneration• protection against fire and insects

• Use and disposal of harvested wood products• Produce longer-lived products, substitution for emissions-intensive materials,

recycling, improve management of landfills

• Wood bioenergy• Use wood for power generation, bio-fuels

• Bio-economy – displace petrochemical based materials


Carbon Balance – BC Forests


BC 2012 emissions


Unaccounted “memo-items”*

• Only net deforestation counted


* quantified for the purpose of transparency but not included in the GHG accounting

Uncounted very large in comparison to 61.5 accounted• Forest harvesting: 63.1 million tonnes• Slash burning: 8.0 million tonnes• Forest fires: 17.1 million tonnes• Forest growth minus decay: -49.2 million tonnes

Uncounted forest total: 39.3 million tonnes

What this means

• Forest carbon is very important compared to non-forest carbon

• Untapped opportunities to reduce carbon


Your task: Should “carbon” be added as a value requiring protection under FRPA?


Forest Practices RegulationThe Forest Range and Practices Act

1. Objectives established by government2. Some performance standards3. Forest Stewardship Plan prepared by lisencee

– measurable results and strategies to meet objectives

– may choose government “defaults”– reviewed and approved by government

4. Auditing and Compliance5. Professional Reliance

FRPA Regulations – Objectives 11 Values

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/legsregs/frpa/frparegs/frparegs.htm

• Soils• Resource features• Timber including forest

health• Recreation resources• Fish• Visual Quality• Wildlife• Cultural Heritage Resources• Biodiversity• Forage• Water

Where can carbon fit?


http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/legsregs/frpa/frparegs/frparegs.htm

Example FPRA Objectives

objectives set by government for soils

The objective set by government for soils is, without unduly reducing the supply of timber from British Columbia's forests, to conserve the productivity and the hydrologic function of soils.

objectives set by government for timber

(a) maintain or enhance an economically valuable supply of commercial timber from British Columbia's forests,(b) ensure that delivered wood costs, generally, after taking into account the effect on them of the relevant provisions of this regulation and of the Act, are competitive in relation to equivalent costs in relation to regulated primary forest activities in other jurisdictions


You Pick!Conversion to Area-Based tenureNovember 17

The Minister of Forests, Land, and Natural Resource Operations has proposed, as a way to improve forest management and increase the midterm timber supply in regions affected by the mountain pine beetle epidemic, to convert a number of volume-based licences to area-based ones. The Minister has directed a multistakeholder body to forge a consensus on a new tenure system by the end of the calendar year.

Forest Carbon MitigationNovember 18

Committed to being a leader in climate action, and recognizing the contribution of forests to carbon emissions, the Premier has directed the Minister of FLNRO to conduct a multistakeholder consultation on the proposal to add carbon as a value to the Forest Range and Practices Act.


Thursday

September 18 Government: the fundamentals of BC government; evolving forest sector governanceMarty Luckert, David Haley, and George Hoberg, Policies for Sustainably Managing Canada’s Forests: Provincial Tenure, Stumpage Fees, and Forest Practices, (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2011), Chapter 1


Documents

Two Case Studies: MPB Legacy and Forest Carbon September 16, 2014 1